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I've wanted a C4 since i was a senior in high school and a rich kids dad bought him abrand new one in '96. I recently bought an 84 that was parked since 05 and at least part of that time the windows were down. Luckily I'm in Las Vegas so rain isn't a big of a problem as it would be in other parts of the country at least. I'm sure it will come as a surprise to no one that I'm chasing electrical gremlins. I've checked all the fuses and they all check out. Here is a list of some of the things I've found so far:
Nothing on the dash (radio, hvac, gauges) works except for the headlight switch.
Both headlights work but one has a bad motor.
Engine cranks but there's no fuel pump in the car and I haven't verified it I have spark yet so it hasn't fired yet. Driver and passenger windows are trying to work.
I got the hatch switch to pop the hatch.
Rear turn signals work but are painfully slow.
Other than that i either haven't tried it yet or i tried it and got no response. Any ideas of where I should start hunting gremlins would be greatly appreciated.
The fuel pump assembly was removed so the tank was open to the elements and had about 15 gallons of water, leaves and mud in it. I've just about got it cleaned out and have a new assembly to install.
You have a screen name I've seen before on other sites. Does "bringing a [unique (2,997 built) [i]very low mileage] vehicle to The Hat in Brea, where a guy reset your antilock and brake lights" ring a bell? If so, I was "that guy". PM me for my numbers. I may be able to help as a consultant.
That's not me. I know anytime I go to a new forum or whatever, it's 50/50 if the screen name is already taken.
Did you ask why was the car parked in the first place
I was talking mainly to the owners son and he just said his dad had to maby projects. I mainly bought it because the price was right and absolute worst case scenario, i can part it out and turn a profit so I didn't press too hard on anything else. Like I said though, I've had one of these on my car bucket list so that would be last resort.
If you wanted a vette to work on rather than drive, you have succeeded. My humble suggestion would
be to sell what parts you can to recover your cost, and look for a drivable vette you can afford.
The problem is that, to me, the best way to solve electrical gremlins is to replace the harnesses. It’s a fair bit of work and the cost is probably a couple of grand. Then replace the fuel pump, anything electrical that isn’t working, troubleshoot the tbi and then you should have a working 84 that needs paint and (probably) an interior. Now you’ve got an 84 worth maybe $6k and you’re so upside down in that you’ll have to ship it to Australia.
If it were me, I’d convert it to a carb, get it running and drive it like you stole it. Once you’ve had your fun, sell it or part it out and if it hasn’t yet scratched your C4 itch, get one with more upside.
So I actually already started tearing out the crossfire stuff. I have a holley sniper efi kit as well as some heads, manifold and a cam taking up space in my garage that i pulled off of one of my other toys before i sold it. While I was outside wrenching this afternoon I started thinking I should strip the car down to build a vette kart. Then if I sell the parts I strip, I could actually own it for free which is my favorite number.
The only issue that might screw me is the car has a salvage title due to the back bumper getting a little toasty when the previous owners shed caught on fire. In Nevada before you can register a car that has a salvage title it has to go through inspection. I've talked to two different authorized inspection shops and they're very wishy washy on what the minimum I need to pass the inspection. I don't think a lot of people are trying to get cars from 1984 inspected in the lag 30 years hence the confusion.
Picture of the toasty rear bumper with a l.e.d. light I was toying with to replace the melted ones with. I picked up 4 of those for the price of one of used stock lens assemblies.
I'd say, vette cart or full-on track car! Either way you strip/gut it out....everything...and you replace with the bare minimum. Parting it out isn’t the best idea, there's really not going to much to sell that will compensate the time/space it'll take up. This is exactly the kind of condition car and the salvaged title issue that makes it perfect for turning it into a race car....rather than parting it out for a couple door shells, hood, top and some drive train/suspension bits....vette cart or caged race car for a new lease on life for this one....turning it back into a "driver"....juice isn’t worth the squeeze👍
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
Parked since '05
